Lesserfim Named the Most Powerful K-Pop Act in Japan: The Surprising Reasons Behind Their Success

In 2024, LE SSERAFIM was recognized as the most influential K-pop artist in Japan, which came as a surprise to many.

On June 9, 2024, Billboard published the “Top K-pop Acts of 2024″list, causing a huge stir. As Japan holds the second-largest music market in the world, gaining recognition in this market is a major goal for many. Over the past thirty years, the Korean pop industry has experienced significant growth in Japan, with numerous agencies prioritizing their artists’ debut in the Japanese market as a strategic maneuver.

LE SSERAFIM Named The Most Powerful K-Pop Act in Japan — Here's Why It's Surprising — LE SSERAFIM Named The Most Powerful K-Pop Act in Japan — Here’s Why It’s Surprising (Photo : LE SSERAFIM on X)

Billboard Japan’s 2024 ranking has crowned LE SSERAFIM as the number one K-pop artist in Japan, with the million-selling male group SEVENTEEN coming in second. This solidifies their positions as the top female and male K-pop acts in the country, respectively.

Despite debuting in March 2024, ILLIT surprisingly secured the fifth spot, surpassing well-known groups such as TWICE and BTS, who landed in sixth and ninth, respectively. Jungkook of BTS was the only solo artist to make the top five, with NewJeans placing third.

The ranking sparked controversy among Korean netizens and K-pop fans after LE SSERAFIM’s lackluster performance at Coachella 2024. The group’s unstable vocals and underwhelming stage presence received significant criticism, leading to them being branded a “national shame”in South Korea.

Despite facing backlash and a damaged reputation in South Korea, LE SSERAFIM managed to claim the number one spot as the most influential group in Japan, causing confusion and garnering mixed reactions from fans and netizens.

The list of top K-Pop acts for 2024 according to Billboard Japan:

THE SSERAFIM
SEVENTEEN
NewJeans
Jung-Kook
ILLITE
TWICE
Stray Kids
IVE
BTS
TREASURE

Despite the success of several K-pop acts with strong fanbases in Japan, there has been controversy surrounding the top ranking of LE SSERAFIM. This is due to concerns over their recent performance problems.

Despite SEVENTEEN’s success, drawing nearly 150,000 attendees to their “Follow Again”concert at Nissan Stadium, they were unexpectedly ranked second. Surprising many fans, LE SSERAFIM not only ranked above SEVENTEEN, but also surpassed TWICE and BTS, with the latter being surprisingly placed at ninth.

Moreover, the list’s exclusion of BLACKPINK has raised questions, considering their worldwide influence and groundbreaking shows at the Tokyo Dome for the “Born Pink World Tour.”This has caused fans to speculate and feel let down, highlighting the ever-changing nature of popularity and recognition in the Japanese music industry.